The Drug Saga

Ron Burke

December 7, 2014 ﻿

Is there seriously anyone who is not aware that Alice and Jim Wells County have their share of drug problems? Maybe more than their share, but that would be an inconclusive guess at the moment. Yet there are few, if any, American towns, whether rural or suburban, small or large, that have escaped the issues of dealing with a rising drug culture and its associated social ills such as gangs, violence, crime, and overdoses.

We know these problems exist. That's not the dilemma. What is uncertain is what response will best attack these perplexities.

Local law agencies are at the forefront of the investigative and enforcement stage , while district and county attorneys and judges are involved with the prosecution and judicial side of the picture. Arrests are made and many cases move forward. Unfortunately, the system often has to deal with repeat offenders, probably due to the addiction as well as the money involved with the drug subculture.There are several aspects to the area drug war that are particularly challenging, and raise concerns about how successful efforts can be to either eliminate or greatly reduce the presence of drugs in our communities.

First, is the necessity of gaining strong support for the very idea that drugs are illegal and must be subject to criminal action according to state and federal law. Everyone must buy into the notion that a community should strive to be drug free, especially for the sake of its children and youth.

Secondly,there should be a well-coordinated and executed strategy by all area law enforcement agencies to investigate and provide for interdiction of the drug trade. Such a program requires solid leadership ,good organization and structure,and an ability to maintain strong inter-agency cooperation and communication. Anything less could potentially damage and limit success.. And obviously there always needs to be productive follow through with the prosecutors and the court system. Intelligence information must be gathered. Resources shared. All expectations should be for prosecution to be vigorous and sentencing to be effective. Police and sheriff depts require the tools and personnel to perform their duties, Everyone must be on the same page and working towards the identical goals and results..

One aspect of the drug war that must be looked at is consideration of the flow of drugs and money. Alice and Jim Wells County lie in between the larger and more active areas of the Valley, Laredo, San Antonio, and Houston. Investigative sources indicate that a significant amount of drugs and drug money makes it way around and through this region and some remains here as part of the local drug business. There should be increasing attention given to pursuing the larger traffickers and distributors and possible money launderers that are especially profiting from the trade here. This should become a larger priority of both state and federal agencies in the coming months of the new year.Their involvement is key to supplement and assist local investigators.

Drugs and drug abuse are critical social issues that can tear apart the social fiber of any community. They can have devastating impacts on everything from family relationships to school environment to job and employment conditions. Higher crime rates can be a typical outcome connected when a drug culture gains a foothold in a town.

It then becomes a crucial mission for every part of community life, whether social services, churches, schools, civic groups, or government, to be highly prepared with a united response to the situation before it becomes a crisis.

No city or county can be faulted for finding itself with a drug problem. The question is how effectively do they raise the bar of law enforcement and community involvement to deal with it. That's the real story. ﻿